Realistic Goal?

Ok here it is. Right now I'm a senior in high school. My goal is to go to college for 4 years (ROTC every year too) and get a major in Aeronautical engineering, after i do that i want to go into the Army as a 2nd lieutenant and fly AH-64 Apache's.

Is this realistic to you? Iv done the reserach and talked to some people that were officers in the service and they say that it's a hard thing to get into, but once your in it's great.

its very rare you get the aircraft of your choice. if you want to fly that bird you need to finish at the top 5% in your class, in that top 5 they generally let those pilots choose what type of aviation platform they want. apache's and blackhawks go the fastest.

i talk to 64 pilots all the time out here in afghan so they let me know. but your goal is realistic as long as your willing to dedicate your life to dominating in that career field.

Not currently. You'd be pretty surprised at how bad they're hurting for pilots as of right now. Advice to you: finish your college degree, enlist in the Army in a combat arms MOS as an E-4 (because of your degree), where you'll fully appreciate receiving attack aviation support (got my dick so hard so many times). Then drop a Warrant Officer packet. If you have a college degree, combat tour, and you're a good Soldier, you'll get selected and be able to branch Aviation. Thing is, you can't go into the Warrant program and expect to be flying AH-64s in a few months... hell, you might not flight AH-64s at all. If/when you complete your training they may say, "Hey we need some Chinook pilots." Then you're the man for that job. From my personal experience, I'd never want to get a straight commission. Far too much bull**** and politics. All the Warrant Officers I've ever met have been chill as ****, don't have too much paperwork to worry about, don't have Soldiers to babysit. All things you'll really want after you put up with shenanigans for a couple years. Good luck though man. You can accomplish anything you want if you're willing to commit and bust your ***.

Ok here it is. Right now I'm a senior in high school. My goal is to go to college for 4 years (ROTC every year too) and get a major in Aeronautical engineering, after i do that i want to go into the Army as a 2nd lieutenant and fly AH-64 Apache's.

Is this realistic to you? Iv done the reserach and talked to some people that were officers in the service and they say that it's a hard thing to get into, but once your in it's great.

Most of our pilots go in as warrant officers, not commissioned. You can apply for warrant flight training with 2 years of college. ROTC and an officer commission probably isn't the best way to become a helo pilot... I also don't see how that degree would really help either. You should probably go talk to an Army recruiter to see what they are currently looking for, since they are recruiting pretty heavy for these programs right now.

Talking about different aircraft - I have heard that the best pilots go to chinooks, or blackhawks, and then the less experienced go in apaches. The reasoning behind this was that they put fewer peoples lives at risk in the passenger seats..

__________________PbNation: Stupidity on an EPIC scale!Originally posted by sutcivnI
PBNation: your source for unfounded and completely unrealistic advice about every subject under the sun.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. - EmersonThe AR is like a prom queen. The AK is like a biker chick. Treat both accordingly.

If you want to skip college and be a pilot try becoming a Warrant Officer

You generally need at least 2 years of college credits to become a WO.. however the Army has had programs for flight training out of high school. Eventually you will need some college to move up into the higher rank brackets.
Here are the requirements for this program from AR601-210

"This program is available to qualified NPS, PS, and Glossary NPS applicants enlisting for the minimum term of enlistment authorized by REQUEST. If enlisting for OCS, applicant must have received a baccalaureate or higher degree. If enlisting for WOFT, applicant must be a high school graduate or equivalent. Applicants in their senior year of either high school or of a 4-year college program may be enlisted into the DEP contingent upon successful completion of high school (for WOFT) or receipt of a BA/BS (for OCS). HRC and USAREC will establish additional documents and processing procedures for applicants interested applying for this program. USAR OCS candidates that have not completed requirements (90 semester hours) must have a degree completion plan prior to their initial appointment. Officers commissioned prior to degree completion must complete their baccalaureate degree prior to their consideration for promotion to Captain. OCS and WOFT applicants must have a GT score of 110 or greater.
a. Under this program—
(1) An NPS qualified applicant is guaranteed enrollment in OCS or WOFT upon successful completion of BT.
(2) PS and Glossary NPS applicants are guaranteed enrollment in OCS or WOFT.
(3) Prerequisites that must be met before enlistment—
(b) If enlisting for WOFT, the applicant must—
1. Meet the basic eligibility criteria for enlistment as modified by this enlistment program.
2. Possess documentary proof of a high school diploma or higher education degree. A High school senior may apply if he or she is currently enrolled in an established high school as defined for a high school diploma graduate and is expected to graduate within 365 days. It is preferred that applicants have at least 2 years of college.
3. Be at least 18 years of age and not have reached their 33rd birth date at start of training for Regular Army enlistment.
4. Meet the weight (body fat) standards of AR 600–9, regardless of category (NPS, Glossary NPS, and PS).
5. Be not taller than 76 inches or shorter than 64 inches in height.
6. Agree to accept appointment or commission as a warrant officer for an indefinite term in the USAR and serve on Active Duty for not less than 72 months after successful completion of Flight Training.
7. Undergo a complete type “A” medical examination for class “1” flight prescribed by AR 40–501. Report of such examination will include electrocardiographic tracing and optomology consultation. Class “1” physicals are required to be approved by the Aeromedical Center, Fort Rucker, AL, before RA accession.
8. Not have attended or have been eliminated or graduated from a previous course of military-sponsored flight or preflight instruction program.
9. Be a U. S. citizen.
10. Possess a favorable NAC.
11. Meet all prerequisites and processing requirements established under this program.
b. All enlistees must meet the prerequisites before and after enlistment per DA Pam 611–21.
c. Primary Enlistment Options available for enlistment include—
(1) REQUEST Option 11: United States Army Officer Candidate School.
(2) REQUEST Option 12: United States Army Warrant Officer Flight Training.
d. Applicants will be informed of the following:
(2) Enlistment for WOFT.
(a) To be eligible for primary flight training, enlistees must successfully complete the 6-week Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS) (described in DA Pam 351–4) at the Warrant Officer Career Center, Fort Rucker, AL.
(b) Applicants will be informed of the nature of flight training and the assumed duties and responsibilities of an Aviation Warrant Officer.
(c) Those who fail to meet the prerequisites or who voluntarily withdraw from the WOFT Program will be required to serve the remainder of their enlistment as an enlisted member.
(d) Warrant officer candidates are administratively promoted to the grade of SGT/E–5 upon entry into WOCS. Candidates who are administratively eliminated or medically disqualified from WOCS will be reduced in grade as determined by the Commandant, Warrant Officer Career Center.
(e) WOCS and WOFT start dates for training are tentative and subject to change by HQDA.
(f) Applicant will be advised that their flight physical must remain valid in accordance with AR 40–501. Changes in medical condition or expiration of their flight physical prior to completion of WOCS will require a subsequent flight physical in accordance with AR 40–501.
(g) Upon successful completion and graduation of WOCS, applicant will be appointed to the grade of WO1. Newly appointed warrant officers are then directed to 145th Aviation Regiment, United States Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, AL, for their initial entry rotary wing flight training.
(h) WOCS and WOFT candidates are not eligible for ACF.
(i) All applicants applying for the WOFT Enlistment Option Program will be boarded at HQ, USAREC."

This is a really competitive program so you will have to be a very qualified applicant to be accepted. Another option would be to enlist under an aviation MOS and apply for the WO program from there - this is a more common route to flight training.

im a private pilot? i dont see how that will help me get into flight school after rotc

it will

1. you will know about planes this will help pilot section of afoqt
2. you will have hours logged this counts towards your tbass score(i cant remember but its one of those tests)
3. it shows that you are more dedicated to becoming a pilot, and you are willing to sacrifice some time and money to log hours, this i would think help the commander ranking.

I am not going to lie to you; from what I have found out from multiple meetings with officer recruiters from every branch, most of the pilots that actually fly are warrent officers. As a second lieutenant you will be trained in fixed and rotary wing aircraft, and you will fly one for a short amount of time. After a couple of years, you will become administration while the warrent officers fly for their whole contract. The warrent program is also available to high school graduates, and it does not require a degree even though a degree is a bonus in your application.

Ok here it is. Right now I'm a senior in high school. My goal is to go to college for 4 years (ROTC every year too) and get a major in Aeronautical engineering, after i do that i want to go into the Army as a 2nd lieutenant and fly AH-64 Apache's.

Is this realistic to you? Iv done the reserach and talked to some people that were officers in the service and they say that it's a hard thing to get into, but once your in it's great.

go to embry-riddle in prescott, az..the army rotc wins ranger challenge like every year

they have a great AE program (top 3 in the nation)
i heard everyone that wanted to go to flight school got in last year